Rachel Walters

Principal, Tinker K-8

Tampa, Florida

Fellow

Rachel Walters currently serves as principal of Tinker K-8 located on MacDill AFB. This is her eleventh year serving as a principal in Hillsborough County Schools. She previously led Cannella Elementary and Shaw Elementary spending four years at each school. During her time in Hillsborough County, she has been an Elementary Lead Principal, an Advisory Board Member for the Hillsborough Association for School Administrators and completed the Hillsborough Executive Leadership Academy.

Rachel earned her Bachelor’s degree in Special Education at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana and her Master’s degree in Educational Leadership at the University of South Florida in Tampa.

She began her teaching career in Indiana at an ESE center teaching students 18 – 21 years old. She moved to the Tampa Bay area in 1994 and she went on to teach a total of 14 years in ESE and general education elementary classes.

Rachel is passionate about helping others use their strengths to assume leadership roles. She is excited about this new learning path on her own leadership journey.

Kassandra Tatum

Teacher, Tinker K-8

Tampa, Florida

ALLY

Kassandra Tatum is a Tampa native and lives with her husband and two children. She attended the University of Florida where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Education. Kassandra has worked as an educator in Tampa, Florida, for the past 16 years. She started her teaching career at Potter Elementary and Booker T. Washington elementary where she taught second through fifth grade. She moved to Tinker K-8 in 2013.

Kassandra has had the privilege to serve our marginalized populations as well as our military families. She believes relationship building and making connections are the key to a successful educational experience. A strong focus on effort and helping students discover their potential is her passion.